Artist Management Mistakes (when working with PR)

11 Oct Artist Management Mistakes (when working with PR)

Having a bad manager is often more detrimental to an artist’s career than not having a manager at all. Many wannabe managers think they can just “wing-it” with an artist, working with outdated methods despite the fact that the industry is evolving all the time.

New business models are emerging constantly, and only the managers that stay on top of the learning curve go on to create successful strategies and provide meaningful counsel. The rest, you might as well be without.

So today, we’ll be taking a look at some of the most damaging mistakes that managers make, trying to enhance the careers of their artists.

• Lack of Honesty or Clarity:

It is mutually beneficial for everyone involved to be honest with one another. If a manager starts covering for an artist, provides the PR team with false information or fails to properly advise the artist he represents, this will damage the prospects of the artist as well as the relationship between clientele and the agency.

• Being Slow to Deal with Performance Issues:

Smoke becomes fire very quickly. Take note of performance issues early on, providing gentle corrective feedback. If a manager fails to inform his artists of standards lower than acceptable, performance issues become far more difficult to fix…if not irreversible.

• Not Documenting Good Performance:

Conversely, if artists are not informed when they have performed well or produced good material, they won’t know the standard that they need to consistently aim for. If the manager fails to provide the appropriate praise, the artists may lose motivation or not know what targets to aim for in the future. This is equally damaging for the careers of artists.

• Not Communicating Effectively with Both the PR Agency and the Artists:

Maintaining an understanding relationship with the PR team and the artists you represent is crucially important. Managers must be switched on and proactive in understanding each facet of the PR process, ensuring that the artists know what is required of them and that they too understand that things don’t happen overnight. If the manager fails to do this, the relationship between the artist and the PR team may suffer as they expect too much, or fail to reach deadlines. The manager must fulfil his “middle-man” role as comprehensively as possible.

• Thinking Too Small:

A manager creates growth and opportunity for their team. A manager who thinks too small is unlikely to achieve either. If managers show lack of faith in their artists, subtle or explicit, it will demonstrate uncertainties to the PR team and reduce confidence in you as clientele. An unambitious combination of manager and artist will result in a meek campaign.

To Conclude:

Managers should have the best interests of the artists they represent in mind at all times. To achieve the results that they want to see and forge a mutually beneficial relationship, it is important that the manager communicates honestly with their artists as well as backing them fully. If these expectations aren’t met, there is a strong likelihood that the targets of the PR team for the clientele won’t be met either.